Control Moment Gyroscopes
Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) are devices used in spacecraft attitude control systems. They consist of a spinning rotor and one or more motorized gimbals that tilt the rotor’s angular momentum. As the rotor tilts, the changing angular momentum causes a gyroscopic torque that rotates the spacecraft. CMGs are typically used in groups of three or more to provide control torque in three dimensions. They are different from reaction wheels, another type of attitude control device, in that they can produce larger torques for a given amount of electrical power. This makes them particularly useful for larger spacecraft and space stations. However, CMGs have a limitation known as 'gimbal lock', where the CMGs can get into a configuration where they can no longer provide torque in a certain direction. This issue can be mitigated by using more than three CMGs and by careful control algorithms.
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